STYLING THE BUMP: MATERNITY & NON-MATERNITY FASHION >

This is my third pregnancy, so I’d like to think of myself as a seasoned professional in the styling the bump department! All three times I have worn a combination of maternity and non-maternity clothes, and for all three trimesters. You do not need to spend a fortune and there are more and more brands with fast fashion designs available. Below I’ve shared my favourite choices for both, as well as some active wear and underwear suggestions. Enjoy!

TOP MATERNITY BRANDS:

BAE THE LABEL – Aussie owned and made my mums. Bae is effortless, cool and intelligently designed for pregnant and nursing mammas. They are priced at the higher end of the market, but they source only the best quality fabric and their designs fit the bump (and the other bits!), beautifully. I would describe their sizing as pretty true to size – I am normally a size 8 and wear XS in their tunics, S in their dresses/tops and S in their skirts. I’ve put on less weight this time, so probably sitting more around a size 10 + bump. Most of their pieces double as nursing designs, but there’s also an entire collection dedicated purely for feeding. Their pieces wash well, maintain their structure/size and don’t look like cliché dowdy maternity clothes! FIVE STARS! { https://au.baethelabel.com/ }

{ AUGUSTE – SIZE 8, NON MATERNITY & CURRENT SEASON }

{ BAE THE LABEL TUNIC IN SMALL – should have gone XS! WITCHERY BODYSUIT – size 10, not maternity }

{ NON-MATERNITY – JACKETS FROM CHICWISH }

ASOS MATERNITY – loooooove ASOS maternity! Cheap, fast-fashion options and good quality (not the best, but pretty good for what you pay). I have worn ASOS maternity throughout all my pregnancies and the variety of designs just gets better and better. A great option for occasional wear clothing while pregnant too – weddings, bathers, jeans. In my experience, their sizing does run large – eg. this time around I’ve worn all size 8 pieces and they fit perfectly, I did not need to go up a size. I would recommend you stick with pre-bump sizing when you’re shopping here. I love that you can still wear some on-trend styles/fabrics and not pay the big bucks, as you might be over these looks next time (pass them onto gf’s etc.). { http://www.asos.com/au/women/maternity }

PEA IN A POD MATERNITY – Another great Aussie staple. PIAP have a great selection of basics and have recently launched an active wear collection – woo! I haven’t tried these just yet, but am super keen now I’m 32 weeks and bursting at the seems! I basically only wore PIAP maternity clothes with MG, and am still using a few of my old pieces. Their long sleeve dresses (pregnancy/nursing) are very reasonably priced, super comfy and easy. I think their maternity workwear collection is one of the best, catering for corporate and casual. { https://www.peainapod.com.au/ }

SORELLA ORGANICS – Sorella Organics is an Australian label housing a collection of sleepwear, loungewear (men & women) and maternity. The Sorella team source the softest certified organic and fair trade cotton, ensuring each piece is kind on the skin, kind to the environment, and kind to the farmers growing the cotton. I am still wearing the maternity/nursing sleepwear and loungewear that I had from my pregnancy with MG – it’s stunning and feels incredible on your body. Their designs wash well and are very reasonably priced. { https://sorellaorganics.com.au/product-category/maternity-sleepwear-and-loungewear/ }

{31 WEEKS – BAE THE LABEL TUNIC IN XS & BONDS BODYSUIT IN SIZE 12 }

{ 32 WEEKS IN NON-MATERNITY: TULAROSA }

MATERNITY BRAS – I’ve had so many emails/messages asking what brand of maternity bras I wear… Er, um, I don’t! I HATE THEM! I’ve just had to go up a few sizes in the normal brands I would wear – as you can see from the image above, they are ginormous. I find Target sports bras (fabric only – no underwire) are the most comfortable. I wouldn’t go for a run in them, but you can wear them all day without getting an upper back ache. I’ve gone up two sizes – they are only $15, so you can chuck them when you’re done. I will also wear these when I’m nursing – I just pull it down! I find maternity bras give me the 90’s Madona boobs and they are just super uncomfortable and unflattering. I have however bought some Rosie Pope nursing nighties for the hospital and for when I come home. { https://rosiepope.com/ }

MATERNITY ACTIVE WEAR – I’ve carried two girls and now a boy and maaaate, boys are so much harder! Of course, it could be due to the fact it’s my third pregnancy and/or that I am now four years older than I was when I carried MG?! I find he’s sitting much higher (uterus is anyway, he is super low), and more forward. This puts immense strain on my back and I am often in a huge amount of pain by 3/4pm. I’ve tried to keep fairly active this time, training at least three times a week. This time I purchased some 2XU Prenatal Active Tights and they are awesome! Not cheap ($200! Ouch!), but they are super comfy and supportive. Like the rest of their products, they are compression tights. Some mornings if I am super sore, I swear it can take me a good five minutes to get into them – HA! However, when they are on… I feel fab. I went up a size in these – 10. They also do postnatal tights too. If these are in the wash, I will also wear my Lululemon pants – In Movement 7/8 Tights (non-maternity) with a thick and high waistband. I did go up a size in these, but will continue to use post-delivery until I’ve lost all the baby weight. { https://www.2xu.com/au & https://www.peainapod.com.au/activewear.html }

{ NON-MATERNITY ACTIVE WEAR – LULULEMON TIGHTS, KOOKAI TOPS, I just went up a size }

{ BABY SHOWER DRESS – COSTARELLOS – non-maternity size 8, but I had some fabric added by a dressmaker at the back for my baby shower. This can now be removed and worn post-partum as it was. Don’t forget for special occasions that’s an option! I just went to my local Alter It }

TOP NON-MATERNITY BRANDS:

ASOS – No one needs an introduction here and you should know your usual sizing by now! With all non-maternity dresses and tops, I went up a size 95% of the time. If it was for eg. a bandage dress though, maybe two sizes up (for length on thigh etc.). Use your common sense and read the product description so you know what fabric the item is. I rarely by pants online, as these are an item I like to try on – so I can’t comment here sorry. { http://www.asos.com/au/women/ }

DECJUBA – Love me some Decjubs – casual, comfy and cool. The white jeans I am wearing below are a size 10 and obviously non-maternity. They are a super stretchy fabric and high-waisted – sitting just on my belly button at 32 wees, so not bad at all. Tee I went up to a 10 to compensate my giant jugs, and will happily wear this post-partum too. Obviously when you are purchasing non-maternity items for pregnancy, try and ensure they are ones you can still wear afterwards so you’re not wasting too much money. { https://www.decjuba.com.au/ }

AUGUSTE – Aussie label from Byron Bay, so always good to support the locals! If you love boho, floral prints and flowly dresses – Auguste is for you (and ME!). In the last few weeks I’ve been wearing a few of their current season dresses (long sleeve) and they look gorgeous over the bump. They are lightweight, very reasonably priced and I’ll wear them all over spring/summer. I am LIVING in the Cisco Smock Mini Dress and the Manhattan Smock Mini Dress. Just avoid a seam across the belly and you’re good-to-go! { https://augustethelabel.com/ }

KOOKAI – Good old Kookai, ey? I swear there will come a point where I am way too old to keep wearing their designs, but MEH, until then I am going to rock it! They’ve seen me through my late teens, 20’s and three pregnancies – LOVE EM’!. You’ll find about 80% of their dresses are bump-friendly and will last you way after bubs is out! Their basics that usually are available in multiple colours (inc. long sleeves – love that during pregnancy!) are thick, flattering and wash like a dream. Ok, now I sound old! I also live in these knee-length dresses and pair it back with a long cardi or jacket. I absolutely love showing-off my bump and this is really on a brand for those who are on the same page – THE BUMP IS OUT THERE! Most of the time I can stay in a size 1, but even a size 2 will be fine post-partum. { https://www.kookai.com.au/ }

NON-MATERNITY SWIMWEAR – I didn’t purchase any maternity bathers this time, instead opting for bikinis and a few cheapie one pieces in bigger sizes. I needed to go up two sizes in the one piece to allow for my nearly 30 week bump, and just up one size in the bikini tops to house the #milkjugs.

{ NON-MATERNITY: PATPAT – both of our swimsuits! }

{ NON-MATERNITY: SEAFOLLY current season – I went up to a size 12 in bikini top… For obvious reasons! }

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{ NON-MATERNITY: WHITE SANDS SWIMWEAR, current season – same sizing as above }

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Sarah Jane is the blogger behind the lifestyle blog, She is, Sarah Jane.
SISJ is a creative hub of information and inspiration for the modern woman and is the thinking girls’ guide to living a balanced and beautiful life in every sense.